n. pl. ne·cro·ses (-sēz′) Death of cells through injury or disease, especially in a localized area of a tissue or organ. [Late Latin necrōsis, a causing to die, killing, from Greek nekrōsis, death, from nekroun, to make dead, from nekros, corpse; see nek-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] ne·crotic (-krŏtĭk) adj. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.